Adjustable seat structure



July 28, 1953 R. H. HILLMAN ADJUSTABLE SEAT STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 6, 1948 as 62 BY ATTRNEY July 28, 1953 R. H. HILLMAN ADJUSTABLE SEAT STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1948 H T TORIUE Y July 28, 1953 R. H. HILLMAN 2,646,839

ADJUSTABLE SEAT STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 6, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet '5 3G INVENTOR.'

Ross H'J-HLLMAN A TTORNE Y July 28, 1953 R. H. HILLMAN 2,646,839

ADJUSTABLE SEAT STRUCTURE Filed Aug. e, 1948 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Ross H- mmv/)HN BY f/M A TTORNEY Patentedl .uy 28, 1953 2,646,839' lADJUSTABLE sEAT STRUCTURE Ross H. HillmamRosemont, Pa., assignor to The Autocar Company, Ardmore, Pa., a. corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 6, 1948, Serial No. 42,771

Claims.

` This invention relates generally to adjustable seat structures and more parti-cularly to improvements in the construction of a vehicle seat to provide for individual adjustment as desired of the seat proper and the seat back.

l Among the principal objects of the present invention is the provision of a supporting structure for a vehicle seat assembly in which individually operated means are included for adjustably raising and lowering the seat proper, for adjustably shifting the seat proper forwardly and rearwardlyy relatively to the seat back, for adjustably Lvarying the inclination of the seat with respect to the horizontal, for adjustably varying the inclination of the seat back relatively to the adjusted plane of the seat proper, and for adjustably shifting the seat assembly as a unit forwardly and rearwardly upon its supporting structure, the several adjusting means being respectively so operative that any desired combination of the aforesaid adjustments may be readily effected to provide a seating arrangement which best suits the individual requirements of a person occupying the seat.

The present invention also has as an object thereof the provision of a supporting structure for a vehicle seat of the character aforesaid wherein means are included for effectively securing the seat proper and the seat back in each of their adjusted positions, the said securing means being at the same time readily releasable to vary the positional adjustment of the seat and seat 'back as may be desired.

A still further and important object of the present invention is to provide and adjustable seat arrangement of the character above described wherein the several adjustments of the seat proper, seat back and 'seat assembly are effected by means which are incorporated in the seat structure as component parts thereof, thus obviating the necessity of employing special devices or tools for positionally adjusting the seat.

Other objects and advantages ofthe present invention will be apparent more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the present invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as described in detail in the following specification as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which `are illustrative of a preferred construction embodying 4 the principles of the present invention:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of the adjustable lseat structure;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View thereof showing certain parts broken away and sec- '.,tioned;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the adjusting means for the seat back;

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the lower portion of the seat structure as viewed from the line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a horizontal plan view of the supporting structure for the seat assembly as taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a partial plan view of the supporting structure for the seat assembly showing the relation of parts when the seat assembly is shifted forwardly on its supporting structure;

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view as taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 5;

Figure. 8 is a side elevational view of the seat ystructure showing in dotted lines various adjusted positions of the seat proper and the seat back;

Figures 9 to 16, inclusive, are side elevational views of the seat proper in various adjusted positions thereof;

Figure 17 is a side elevational View of the seat proper in its extreme forward position, a portion thereof being shown in section;

Figure 18 is a side elevational view of the seat back in an adjusted position different from that shown in Figure 8; and

Figure 19 is a side elevational view of the seat proper in its eXtreme rearwardly adjusted position. 1-

Referring now to .the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, it will be observed that the seat assembly of the present invention, which includes a seat proper IE) and a'seat back Il, is suitably mounted upon an understructure or supporting frame iixedly secured in position upon the floor of the vehicle, this supporting understructure including a pair of channel-shaped side rails l2--I2 disposed with their webs I3-I3 in laterally-spaced parallel vertical planes. The forward ends of the side rails |2-l2 are interconnected by a transversely eX- tending angle member Hl, while their rear ends are interconnected by a transversely extending plate I5, thel Aunderstructure being thus in the with a at'metal plate I1 which is adapted to o rest upon a supporting carriage I8 in the form of an open rectangular frame composed of angle members suitably welded together as shown. Thus, the opposite side rails of the seat supporting carriage I8 are each formed of a pair of reverselyvarranged angle members E53- 20 Welded togethertoprovide a channel-shaped side rail for the carriage I8, each such side rail having a top flange 2| and a bottom iiange 22. These side rails of the carriage I8 are in turn interconnected at their front and rear ends by transversely-extending angle members 23 .and .2.4.the.top-flanges of which are disposed in the,` horizontal plane .of the side rail top flanges 2I-2I.

The open frame constituting the seat-supporting carriage IB is substantially "-coextens-i-ve in width and length with the open frame'forming the xed understructure for the seat, and is -adaptedtobe disposed uponsuch understructure with'itsside railsin register with'the side' rails of the understructure. The topangesIG-#IG of the.understructure side rails are eachprovided with a pair of longitudinally spaced elongated slots 25-25, whilethe bottom 4flanges 22-22 of .the carriage side rails are each provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced openings 26--26 in respective registry with the slots 25-l25. Bolts Z'Ieach projecting through an opening`26 and `its registering slot25,.securethe carriage frame against vertical and lateral displacement relativelyto the fixed .understructure, while permitting .the'carriageto shift"longitudinally of the understructure Within the limits permitted Vby the elongated slots 25-'25. 'oeliminate frictional resistance between `the seat-supporting ,carriage and the fixed nnderstructure and `so 'facilitate easy shiftingof'the vcarriageywashers I28are preferably fitted upon -each vof the securing bolts 27 for ldispositionbetiveen the overlying Vflanges of the longitudinally extending side rails of the carriage and its' supporting understruoture. Rotatably journalledbetweenA the opposite side rails .of the seatsupporting carriage I8 are a -pair of parallel shafts `29 and 30, theshaft 29 being disposed immediately adjacent the front end ofthe carriage` while the shaft v30 is disposed adjacent therear end of the'carriage. To rigidify these shafts, eachv of them is centrallyjournalled,

4as at 3|, upon an angle member v-32 `extending Suitablyxedzto eachv of the shafts 29. and 30 60 are a pair of ylaterally spaced-cam members -'35-35. These cammernbers are all ofidentical form,.each being of oblong form in outline with -one longitudinal edge `36 thereof inclined with respect to its opposite longitudinal edge 31. It will be observed further that theseveral identical cam membersvSE-SS aresimilarly secured to their supporting shafts sothat upon rotation of a given shaft both cam members thereon assume the-same angular position relatively totheaxis 0f-:thel shaft. YIt will benoted alsothat the cam members are each so eccentrically secured to the :shaftsthat upon rotation of. aggiveny shaftcor- .':responding :edges .of thegpair .of v.cams secured thereto may be selectively presented in any one as shown, the cam members 35-35 on each shaft are all.disposed with their.edgesdnppermost 4and inengagement with the bottom plate I'I of the seat member I0. In this angularly adjusted position of the cam members 35-35 of both shafts 29 and 30, the seat member Il) is supfportedl-ineahorizontal plane substantially coinvcident.withzthe top .ofthe supporting carriage I8.

VUponrotation'. of the handles 33 and 34 as indicate'dby'the; directional arrows in Figure 8 the cam members may be variously positioned angu- `larly"with"respectto their shaft axes to either raise:the.seat member I0 vertically into one or the other of two elevated positions, as shown vin Figures 13 and 14, or to inclinethe seat memelusive and in"Figures 15'and'1'6. l'Maximuminyclination is obtained as'shown4 in Figures land '15, with minimum .:inclination asinFigures 11 `and 16. Dependingfuponthe"relative *disposition of the fore and aft"cam"members,"the'seatinlination mayi'be such'that thefront-edgeof' the seat is ,depressed "relatively "to its rear `edge as shownin, Figures 12, 15 .'.and i16, 'oriitmmay nbe such .that exactlyithe reverse Ncorr'ditionis gob- 3 0 tained, the front edge 'o'fthe'seat "being thenk ele- .vated `relatively "to its rear edge, as "shown in Figures' 9,` 10 "and 11. 'ltwilltthus be apparent that bysimple manipulation"ofthe'shaftharidles E53 and 34, the' seat'memberle' may be vertically .adjustedandiinclined into `any oneofa number of .positions to most comfortably-accommodate the occupantoftheseat.

In ordertoprevent` longitudinal displacement of' the seat member I-relatively-'to'its support- 4o ingi carriage I8,d theifrontrailfzpff'tlfieI carriage is' tted'witwapair of laterally"spacedl vertically extending pins 4G-4D `Awhich are Jrespectively .adapted to project into 'the'bottom-of the seat member I 'byway'of suitable openings 4 I pro- 5 vided in' thetbottonr plate Il-of said seat member. 'Asmost clearly-appears in Figure' 2,-the bottom plate l'I `of :the seat"m\ember Ii isl provided with "three'pairs'of'thejpin:receiving'openingsfll I these pairsbeing'spaced:lengthwise/of theseat-vmemonepair 'of the'iopenings "fdependingiupon the adjusted position of the '-seatmember longitudinally withuespect-k to its supporting carriage I8. `Vrfhus, "when "the seat '-is in f its 'ffull line `position r showrrin Figure '[2 g'the'pins 4S- '49 project through i the-outermost pair o'f-'theopenings ld I l to prevent shifting of f theseat member l I il lengthwise dfi its V'supporting"carriageI8. *In this loeke'dpo's-ition ofv the' 'seat memberi uponI itscarriage, the depth of the `seat mem-ber LIii Jas measured ffrom '-its lfrontedgerearwardlyfto the seat1 back i I isV of leasteextent. By shiftingithe flseatfmember I0 "forwardly" on itssupportingfearriagesoY that the MVVpins '4Q-4t `interengage -the `interr-p-ediate vpair of 'openingsfM the longitudinallepthfeffthe seat"mem^ber -rnaytbe increased to the -erlztent'l in- -"dicate"dbythe dott-ed line 4'A- of l'Figure `=8,la -still further increase in the seat depth, -as lir-idicated "by" theL dottedy lin-eB- Io'f"-l"i-g-11re 18, beingy obtained when the pins llllit are interengaged withithe 4rearmostJ pair of openings-A Ib inf the" bet-toml plate I1 of theseatmeniber.

The seatback- I I is' carried "direct-ly'bythe supporting'carriage IBfor movement therewith. As

most clearly appears in Figures 2`an`d"8," thecarriage IS is provided upon each of its opposite sides with a pair of angularly related rigid strap members 42 and 43 forming upright standards between the upper ends of which the seat back II is pivotally supported, as at 44. Preferably, the lower ends of the members 42 and 43 are welded to the side rails of the carriage I8, While their upper ends are overlapped and provided with registering openings for reception of a pvot stud formed as a part of a bracket 45 secured to the vertical rear corner edge of the seat back at a point intermediate its upper and lower ends.

Secured to and projecting rearwardly of the seat back supporting members 43 are a pair of wing-like members 46-46 the free ends of which are rigidly interconnected by a transverse bar or rod 41. This transverse bar 41, which is spaced rearwardly of the bottom rear edge of the seat back II, is centrally provided with a detent plate 48 having formed therein a vertically elongated slot 49. Preferably, the detent plate 48 is somewhat inclined rearwardly and upwardly, as most clearly appears in Figure 2 so that the bottom edge of its slot 49 may most effectively engage one or the Other of the notches 50 formed along the bottom edge of a spring-pressed detent bar 5I extending rearwardly of the seat back III and through the slot 49 of the detent plate.

As most clearly appears in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, this notched detent bar 5I is centrally xed to a horizontally extending shaft 52 oscillatably journalled in a pair of laterally spaced bracket members 53-53 secured to the rear surface of the seat back I I, the shaft being provided at one end thereof with a laterally turned extension to provide an operating handle 54 therefor. In order to impose a bias on the shaft 52 tending normally to depress the detent bar 5I into interlocking engagement with the slotted detent plate 48, the shaft 52 is provided adjacent one of its journalled ends with an angle member 55 having a freely extending arm 56 to which is secured the upper end of a coiled tension spring 51. The lower end of this spring is secured to an arm 58 extending freely from the adjoining shaft-supporting bracket 59, the arrangement being thus such that the spring 51 tends to resiliently maintain the detent bar 5I in interlocking engagement with the detent plate. By depressing the shaft handle 54 as indicated by the arrow in Figure 8, the detent bar 5I may be disengaged from the plate 4S for re-engagement in any one of several different positions for varying, as desired, the vertical inclination of the seat back II about its supporting pivots 44. This adjustment of the seat back is, of course, independent of the permissible adjustments of the seat member IQ, as hereinbefore described, and consequently various angular relations between the seat back and the seat proper may be readily obtained.

In addition to the foregoing adjustments of the seat back and seat proper, the present invention provides means for positionally adjusting the seat back and seat proper as an assembly longitudinally with respect to the fixed understructure of the seating installation. Thus, as most clearly appears in Figures 2 and 4, the longitudinally extending central member 32 of the supporting carriage Iis provided toward its rear end with a welded depending plate 59 to the lower end of which is pivotally secured, as at 6-0, a longitudinally extending bar 6I. The rear end of this bar 6I is connected by a coiled tension spring 62 to a part of the carriage I8, such as the member ,32, while the forward portion of the bar 6I extends through a slotted plate 63 welded to the front transverse rail I4 of the xed understructure. The bottom edge of the bar 6I is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced notches 64 which are selectively engageable with the bottom edge of the slot 65 in the plate 63 tolock the upper seat assembly in any one of several longitudinally adjusted positions. The tension spring 52 operates; of course, to maintain the notched bar 6I interlocked with the detent plate, the bar being adapted to be raised out of .engagement with its detent plate for shifting movement relatively thereto by means of a handle 66 welded or otherwise secured to the forward end of the bar. It will be apparent that upon disengagement of the bar 6I from its detent plate 63, the bar may be longitudinally shifted to effect corresponding shift upon the fixed understructure of the seat assembly comprising the seat member IU, the seat back II and their supporting carriage I8.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general principles or real spirit thereof, and it is accordingly intended to claim the present invention broadly as well as specifically as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

l. In an adjustable seat structure adapted for installation in automotive vehicles, a sub-structure for supporting the adjustable seat, a carriage for the seat shiftably mounted for rectilinear shifting movement upon said sub-structure, and means on said carriage for shiftable support thereon of a seat member, said supporting means for the seat member being independent of said sub-structure and including manually adjustable cam members respectively operative adjacent the fore and aft ends of the seat member to vary the inclination thereof with respect to the horizontal.

2. In an adjustable seat installation for automotive vehicles, a seat assembly including a substantially horizontally disposed seat member, a

substantially vertically disposed seat back and a supporting carriage for said seat member and seat back, a sub-structure upon which said carriage is longitudinally shiftable, cam means on said carriage mounted independently of said sub-structure, said means being selectively operative to adjust the elevation of the front and rear ends of said seat member relatively to said carriage whereby to Vary the pitch of the latter with respect to the horizontal, and means for securing the seat member against longitudinal or lateral displacement with respect to its supporting carriage.

3. In an adjustable seat installation for automotive vehicles, an upholstered seat member having a ilat bottom plate of rigid material, a supporting carriage for said seat member in the form of a substantially horizontally disposed open frame having vlaterally spaced side rails adapted to underlie and support the opposite sides of said seat member, a pair of oscillatably mounted shafts extending transversely of said carriage side rails and disposed respectively adjacent the front and rear ends of said seat member beneath the bottom plate thereof, laterally spaced cam members eccentrically xed to each of said shafts with the edges thereof in supporting engagement with the bottom plate of said seat member, said cam members being operative upon rotation of said shafts to vary the pitch and elevation of the seat relatively to said supporting carriage.

assises@ 7 .4. In .an adjustable Yseat vinstallation `tor automotive vehicles, a seat member having a .rigid frat bottom, .a .supporting carriage for said. seat member in the form .of .a substantially horizontally ,disposed open frame having laterally spaced :parallel side rails Yadapted to underlie :and sup- -port said seat member, .a shaft .extending transversely of .said carriage .side rails and oscillatably jcurnalled therein, said shaft being disposed adjacent an end of the supporting carriage and beneath the bottom of .said seat member, and a pair .of earn members fixedly secured to said shaft in laterally .spaced relationror :engagement with .the bottom of said seat member whereby fto support the latter, said .cam members :being of -.identicial polygonal shape and being .similarly disposed eccentrically with respect .to the shaft whereby upon rotation of said shaft diierent corresponding `edges of said cam members .are presented in engagement with the bottom of the f kseat member lto vary its elevation and pitch `relatively to a predetermined horizontal plane,

In an adjustable seat installation for automotive vehicles, a dat-bottomed seat member, a supporting carriage for said seat ,member in the form or" a substantially .horizontally .disposed open frame having laterally spaced parallel side rails underlying and supporting said seat member, a shaft extending transversely of said carriage side rails and oscillatably journalled therein, .shaft being disposed adjacent an end of .the supporting carriage and below the bottom of seat member, a Vpair of identical .polygonally shaped cani members nxedlysecured to saidshaft in 'laterally spaced relation, said cam members i V.being similarly arranged eccentrically With respect to the shaft whereby upon rotation of the latter diierent corresponding edges .of the cam `mei: bers may be selectively presented in engagement with the seat member to vary its elevation and pitch relatively to a predetermined horizon l plane, means external of said supporting carriage 'for rotating said shaft to selectively present any one pair of corresponding cam edges in supporting engagement With the seat member, and means for releasably securing said Aseat member in longitudinally adjusted position on said supporting carriage.

In an adjustable seat installation tor auto- -nintive vehicles, an understruoture including a of 'laterally spaced side rails each having a horizontally disposed longitudinally slotted flange, a supporting carriage for a seat member including a pair of laterally spaced side rails respectively in register with the slotted anges of said understructure and having bolts projecting through the slots of said anges to said carriage against all but longitudinal `movement relatively to said understructure, Aa seat member loosely supported upon said carriage, and carn means mounted upon the carriage for varying the pitch and elevation of the seat member relatively to said carriage.

i'. In an adjustable seat installation for automotive vehicles, an understructurfe including `a of 'laterally spaced side rails each having a horizontally disposed longitudinally slotted `:iianga a Vsupporting carriage for a seat member including a pair of laterally spaced side rails respectively lin register with .the slotted flanges :of said understructure and having bolts projecting through .the Yslots of said `flanges to senure `said Acarriage against all but longitudinal movement relatively to said understructure, a seat member loosely ,supported upon said caradage, .cam :means mounted upon the carriage for the pitch land elevation of the seat member relatively to said carriage, said seat member :being longitudinally shiftable upon said .canriagaand icoacting Ypin and socket means on said seat member Vand carriage selectively operati-ve tosecure .said seat member in longitudinally adjusted position upon said carriage.

. 8. Then-adjustable seat installation for Aautomotiaewyehicles, an vunderstructure including a (of .laterally spaced side rails each having .a horizontally disposed :longitudinally slotted frange, ,a supporting ,carriage 'for a seat member including a pair of laterally spaced .side :rails respectively :in Iregister with the slotted `ilanges .of .said understructure and having bolts projecting :through the Yslots of said gilanges to secure said carriage against 4all but longitudinal movement relatively to `said understructure, a seatinember loosely supported upon said carriage, and vcarnrmeans mounted upon the carriage for varying Ythe pitch and elevation of the -seatzmember relatively to said carriage, said seat vmember being `securable in longitudinally adjusted position upon said carriage, and said car- Triage :andits supported seat .member .being longitudinally .shiftable `relatively to said .understructure.

e. In :an .adjustable 4seat installation for automotive vehicles, a sub-structure for supporting the iadjustable seat, a carriage for the seat shiftablymounted .upon :said sub-structure, means on said carriage lfor shiftable support thereon of va seat member, .said .supporting means for the seat @member .including manually adjustable cam members :respectivelyloperative adjacent the fore and ait ends :of 'the seat member Ito vary the elevation and pitch thereof with respect to its supporting carriage, and means carried by said supporting carriage and projecting `forwardly of said sub-structure for locking said supporting carriage in longitudinally adjusted position upon said isub-structure.

l0. =Iln an adjustable seat installation as deined `in claim 9 wherein said last-mentioned means includes a pivoted `detent lbar .resiliently pressed vinto interlocking' engagement with a detcnt mounted upon said sub-structure.

.ROSS H. HILLMAN.

References Cited in the rile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number llame Date 149,552 Wayland Apr. il, 1874 1,2811g92l tierington Got. 15, 1918 11,355,219 Brownell Apr. 26, 1932 2,3%;346 Bell Feb. 9, 1943 FOREIGN l?A'llllllSV Number :Country Date 518,018 Great 4Britain Feb. 1,5, 1940 

